Congress will be ready to vote Friday, June 26, on the Waxman-Markey Bill, H.R. 2454, which creates clean energy jobs and reduces the kind of pollution that leads to global warming. This is a step in the right direction, but right now interest groups and industries are lobbying for concessions that reduce the bill's effectiveness. Congress needs to take strong and speedy action because:

1. In December this year, countries will meet in Copenhagen to work on an environmental protection agreement to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. If the U.S. wants to have a voice at these negotiations, it must begin with environmental measures at home.

2. In its current form, the bill leaves much room for improvement. For instance, President Obama had initially planned to establish a cap-and-trade system based on the auction of permits, resulting in a tax credit for everyone except the wealthiest 5% of Americans to offset most of the higher energy costs. However, the Waxman-Markey bill plans to give 85% of the pollution credits for free. This will impede our nation's ability to subsidize clean energy.

Please take 30 seconds to write to your representative TODAY to call for the passage of a strengthened Waxman-Markey Bill, and help save it from the corrosive influence of interest group pressures!

Specifically, we advocate:

* Auctioning pollution permits in accordance with President Obama's abovementioned plan

* Increasing the greenhouse emissions reduction requirement: Currently, the bill calls for reductions equivalent to 4%-7% below 1990 levels by 2020. Leading scientists says that this should be increased to 25%-40% in order to make a significant environmental impact.

* Preventing further weakening of the bill by industry groups. Oil, coal and natural gas companies have spent over $79 million to lobby Congress.

Contact your representative today in support of the swift passage and strengthening of the Waxman-Markey Bill!